The Student Advocacy Center and the Judicial Affairs and Mediation Services helped create revisions to the Student Conduct Code for the 2007-2008 school year, according to a Student Government press release from Tuesday. The new SCC will be in effect beginning this summer.
The most significant changes included "the addition of sexual misconduct and sexual assault to the Prohibited Conduct section of the SCC" and "the standard of evidence was changed from 'clear and convincing' to 'preponderance of evidence,'" according to the press release.
According to SAC Director Nick Johnson, a senior in the School of Public Affairs, changes were needed for clarification purposes.
Johnson said the issue was "really big because the sexual assault policy was horrendous."
In the current SCC, there is one mention of sexual assault policies.
Johnson said the change from "clear and convincing" evidence to a "preponderance of evidence" was advocated by JAMS and that SAC was "philosophically opposed to such a change."
However, though less evidence may be needed for a case, Johnson said he believes this will not have a large effect on the number of cases or the outcome of many cases.
Some students see the changes to be effective policy changes to protect women, but are hesitant at the nature of the evidence change in the SCC.
"I think that sexual assault is a big deal," Sarah Cumbie, a freshman in the School of Communication, said. "However, I'm nervous about limited civil liberties but also aware of dangers presented towards women."
Other changes made, advocated by SAC and JAMS, include an "expanded definition of disorderly conduct; expanded language about access to the case file; as well as clarification to the membership of appellate boards," according to the SG press release.
The changes were the first made to the SCC since the spring of 1999.
